Image - the speakers and program title
Past Event

Premal Shah and Kinari Webb: Small Dollar, Big Impact

The climate doesn’t care where emissions cuts come from; what matters is that the world transitions to renewable energy quickly and cheaply. If it’s significantly cheaper to install solar panels in India than on a rooftop in California, then isn’t that where they should be built?

In 2005, Premal Shah co-founded Kiva.org, a global anti-poverty effort that has loaned more than $2 billion for low-income entrepreneurs in 80 countries. He recently applied a similar microfinance model to climate, creating renewables.org, with the goal of leveraging small amounts of money for the greatest impact.

Kinari Webb saw a similar opportunity in rainforest communities around the world. Currently, less than 1 percent of climate finance goes to these communities, yet transferring funds directly to the local people with the greatest stake in preserving their land can have outsized impact.

Where does the climate dollar go furthest? Join Climate One’s Greg Dalton for an illuminating and encouraging conversation with Premal Shah and Kinari Webb.

Notes

See more Climate One programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California.

Photo courtesy the speaker.

July 31, 2025

The Commonwealth Club of California
110 The Embarcadero
Taube Family Auditorium
San Francisco, CA 94105
United States

Speakers
Image - Premal Shah

Premal Shah

Founder, kiva.org and renewables.org 

Image - Kinari Webb

Kinari Webb

Founder, Health in Harmony

Image - Greg Dalton

Greg Dalton

Founder and Co-host, Climate One